1.   And yet, to keep the yen at a reasonable level, Japan may very well need to open its markets to imports from the U.S. and elsewhere.

2.   A bank could keep its yen at the Bank of Japan, but with so much cash, there are transportation costs.

3.   A bank could keep the yen, but that could lead to extra expenses.

4.   A successful plan could keep the yen from future losses, traders said.

5.   A U.S. rate increase would put pressure on the Bank of Japan to raise its rates to keep the yen from falling.

6.   But analysts do not think that the intervention by the Bank of Japan alone can keep the yen from getting stronger.

7.   Higher interest rates in the U.S. could force the Bank of Japan to raise rates to keep the yen from falling too far against the dollar.

8.   Japanese officials, including Sakakibara, have even voiced their intention of asking the Bank of Japan to sell dollars for yen to keep the yen from falling further.

9.   Mitsuzuka and other key Japanese Finance Ministry officials recently warned repeatedly that the ministry may ask the Bank of Japan to sell dollars to keep the yen from falling.

10.   Mohatarem criticized the Bank of Japan for a policy of keeping the yen weak to stimulate the sluggish Japanese economy through export growth.